News

ACPD details common local scams, from fake kidnappings to impersonating police

By ARLnow.com
File photo

Claiming a family member has been kidnapped and demanding a ransom. Threatening you with arrest if a fine is not paid for supposedly missing jury duty.

Those are just two of the most common scams perpetrated on local residents, according to the Arlington County Police Department.

ACPD detailed some of the scams they frequently respond to in a new press release. The victims are often older, with one of the scams specifically targeting grandparents, but anyone could be targeted.

The bottom line from police: “be cautious of unsolicited calls and emails, especially if the individual requests payment in the form of gift cards, cash or cash apps.”

The full ACPD press release detailing some common scams is below.

In support of the department’s key initiative of crime prevention and control, the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) is sharing information on common scams and tips for how to spot, avoid and report them. Although many scams can appear convincing, remember to be cautious of unsolicited calls and emails, especially if the individual requests payment in the form of gift cards, cash or cash apps.

Please note, the information provided in this press release is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all possible scams currently circulating. Individuals seeking additional information about fraud are encouraged to visit our financial crimes information webpage.

Scam #1: The Virtual Kidnapping Ransom Scam

Scammers will call potential victims stating their family member is being held captive and threaten to continue holding them hostage unless they receive payment, typically through a cash app. The scammers will provide the victim with specific instructions to ensure the safe return of the family member and order the individual to stay on the line until money is received. This particular scam creates a sense of urgency and panic as the scammers also state they will harm the family member if the money is not sent immediately. ACPD encourages the public to hang up and call 911 immediately if faced with this scam.

Scam #2: The Grandparent Scam

Scammers will target elderly victims by calling and stating their grandchild has been arrested for driving under the influence or other serious crime. The nature of the situation makes the grandchild ‘unavailable’ to confirm their identity by phone and the scammer will ask the victim to send money for attorney fees or bail. In some cases, the scammers impersonate the grandchild while reporting to be in a crisis situation. This particular scam preys on the fears of grandparents to get them to act quickly. If you receive a call of this nature, hang up and call 911 immediately. ACPD advises a quick way to know if this call is a scam is if the caller asks the victim not to call the grandchild’s parents to confirm they have been arrested.

Scam #3: The Jury Duty Scam

Scammers will pose as law enforcement and contact victims accusing them of failing to appear for jury duty and stating a warrant for their arrest will be issued unless a fine is paid. Payment is often requested in the form of gift cards and the scammer will ask the victim to provide the gift card numbers over the phone. Scammers may also instruct the victim to send the gift cards to a police department as an added appearance of legitimacy. As a reminder, ACPD and the Sheriff’s Office will never call to solicit funds or collect fines over the phone. Additionally, juror summonses are sent through the mail and communication through other mediums should be considered suspicious.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Raindrops on a Japanese maple leaf in Freedom Park in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Local NAACP VP Killed — Updated at 9:15 a.m. — “FOX 5 has learned that Kent Carter – a prominent community leader and realtor from Arlington – was killed while on vacation in Turks and Caicos. The Arlington County NAACP confirms Carter was killed when a vehicle he was traveling in was ambushed. Police in Turks and Caicos say the car was on its way back from an excursion when a group of men with guns opened fire on the vehicle – killing Carter – an innocent bystander.” [Fox 5, NAACP Arlington Branch]

Viral Video Stems from Arlington Eluding — “The Fairfax County Police Department is conducting an administrative review of a traffic stop on Richmond Highway this past weekend, video from which was posted on social media… According to the Arlington County Police Department, the vehicle had been entered into the NCIC after someone driving it fled from an attempted traffic stop near Crystal City for an expired registration.” [FFXnow]

Students Get Rowdy Before Holiday — “Police are on scene of the McDonald’s and the Safeway parking lot in Bluemont, for a report of a group of nearly 100 roving teenagers causing a disruption, per scanner. Tomorrow is Yom Kippur, an off day for Arlington Public Schools.” [Twitter]

Republicans Frown on ‘Missing Middle’ — “Arlington’s Republican faithful are largely, but far from unanimously, opposed to the county government’s planned elimination of single-family zoning known colloquially as Missing Middle. A survey of Arlington County Republican Committee members conducted online in September found 60 percent ‘strongly oppose’ the zoning change, while 12 percent ‘somewhat oppose’ it. A total of 14 percent support the measure either somewhat or strongly, and 14 percent are undecided.” [Sun Gazette]

Chase Ends on 14th Street Bridge — From Dave Statter: “Watch: End of @VSPPIO chase just before 1 a.m. from Woodbridge to 14th St Bridge. Speeds at times more than 130. Civilian & trooper vehicles hit before bridge. Arrest on the bridge.” [Twitter]

Metro Cracking Down on Evaders — “Metro has a message for fare evaders: operating buses and trains isn’t free. Customers riding Metrobus and Metrorail are required to pay fares and will be warned accordingly. Starting Oct. 4 your Metro will begin a warning campaign to alert people who neglect to pay fares that there are fines associated with fare evasion in each jurisdiction. The warning campaign will begin with notices displayed on digital signs throughout the system.” [WMATA]

O’Leary’s Election Prediction — “Former county treasurer Frank O’Leary on Sept. 29 issued his first turnout prediction of the season. ‘My bet is that between 74,000 and 78,000 of the approximately 155,000 active voters will participate in the election,’ said O’Leary who has made predicting turnout (and sometimes results) a pastime in recent years. That would be a ‘relatively low’ turnout by county standards, O’Leary said.” [Sun Gazette]

Eden Center Theft Warning — “The City of Falls Church Police Department is investigating a series of thefts occurring at or around the Eden Center… The victims are approached under a ruse, usually by the suspects trying to sell them fake jewelry, asking for directions, asking to pray with them, or even wanting a hug.” [City of Falls Church]

It’s Wednesday — Possible drizzle in the morning. High of 61 and low of 51. Sunrise at 7:09 am and sunset at 6:46 pm. [Weather.gov]

County seeks feedback on updated concept for Crystal City-DCA bridge

By Jo DeVoe
The proposed bridge between Crystal City and DCA at its starting point in the planned Virginia Railway Express station (courtesy of Arlington County)

It’s a little less park-like than New York City’s High Line, but Arlington County has come up with a concept for new pedestrian bridge from Crystal City to National Airport.

Now, it is asking people to share their feedback.

Over the past year, the county, the Virginia Department of Transportation and a Boston-based civil engineering firm have evaluated 16 possible bridge and tunnel connections across active train tracks, the GW Parkway and National Park Service land.

After concluding the site could not accommodate tunnel entrances, VDOT and the county were left to consider two bridges. Today (Tuesday), Arlington launched a public engagement period for a preferred alternative, moving the needle forward on what’s being called the Crystal City to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Multimodal Connection project — or CC2DCA.

The county proposes starting the bridge at the planned Virginia Railway Express Crystal City station at 2011 Crystal Drive  and ending in the second level of DCA’s Terminal 2 parking garage.

If built, it would take about five minutes to walk the 1,300 feet from the station to the airport, per a press release from the National Landing Business Improvement District.

The proposed Crystal City to DCA bridge starting point at the planned Virginia Railway Express station (courtesy of Arlington County)

The bridge would be an enclosed girder bridge running perpendicular to the rail tracks.

Then, the CC2DCA would run at an angle over the GW Parkway.

Initially, the county considered an arch bridge, but a bridge supported with girders would allow the county to link the connector with the Mount Vernon Trail without re-aligning it, per a staff presentation.

The bridge segment over the GW Parkway (courtesy of Arlington County)

Once it links up with DCA’s Terminal 2 parking garage, pedestrians would have a dedicated walkway through the garage to the terminal. This path would eliminate 40 parking spaces, according to the presentation.

The bridge segment over the GW Parkway and linking to DCA’s Terminal 2 parking garage (courtesy of Arlington County)

Ballpark estimates put the project at $43 million, the presentation said. So far, CC2DCA already has over $38 million in committed funds.

Now through Nov. 6, people can share their feedback in English, Spanish and Chinese, attend a public meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 25, or submit comments via email, according to the project webpage.

“The team is sharing concepts to make sure needs and priorities are aligned,” Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Claudia Pors tells ARLnow. “This is the preferred recommended alternative to date, but it hasn’t been approved by any agencies as of now.”

After collecting public feedback, the county plans to present its recommendation to federal agencies in December, Pors said.

The preferred alternative could be confirmed by next spring and the design phase could start by the end of 2023, per the National Landing BID press release.

The second-place contender would have started at 2231 Crystal Drive and ended at the third level of the Terminal 2 parking garage. Staff ultimately decided against it because it was projected to cost $64.5 million, would eliminate 130 parking spaces at the airport and it would not be as centrally located for rail users, per the staff presentation.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Rainy day in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Boy Struck By Driver — “13yo boy on bike struck in crosswalk. S Carlin Springs Rd & 3rd St South, Arlington, VA… Driver did stay on scene. Severity of injuries unknown… appeared [non life-threatening]. He was tended to by medics and police.” [Twitter]

Flight Attendant Arrested at DCA — “A flight Attendant was arrested today at Reagan National Airport and charged with Grand Larceny for stealing a bracelet from a passenger.” [Twitter]

Fire Prevention Week Coming Up — “Beginning Oct. 9, 2022, the Arlington County Fire Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to celebrate 100 years of Fire Prevention Week… Join the Arlington County Fire Department Oct. 15 for the first ever centralized open house.” [ACFD]

Covid Stats from Hospital — From VHC emergency department chief Dr. Mike Silverman: “Testing wise, we had a slight uptick in the number of positive cases this past week compared to the previous week, but we’re still down compared to a month again. Our overall positivity rate is 8.7%. Our asymptomatic patient positivity rate was 7.6% which is up compared to previous weeks. That’s a lot of people testing positive who don’t have symptoms. Remember, the target for percent positivity is <5% and we haven’t seen numbers in that range for a long time.” [Blue Virginia]

It’s Tuesday — Rain throughout the day. High of 54 and low of 45. Sunrise at 7:09 am and sunset at 6:48 pm. [Weather.gov]

NEW: Police investigating false report of shooting in Halls Hill

By ARLnow.com
Response to a false report of a shooting in Halls Hill (courtesy photo)

Police swarmed Arlington’s Halls Hill neighborhood today after a caller falsely reported a shooting inside of a house.

The incident happened along the 1800 block of N. Dinwiddie Street, in the historically Black neighborhood also known as High View Park, just before 5 p.m.

A caller told 911 dispatchers that he had just shot his wife inside of a home, according to scanner traffic. Shortly after a large police and fire department response arrived on scene, the report was determined to be false.

The circumstances suggest an instance of “swatting” — or harassment by way of making a false report that sends a large police response to someone’s address.

The Arlington County Police Department says that officers “remain on scene investigating the circumstances of the call.”

Police investigating two ‘mob’ attacks along Langston Blvd

By ARLnow.com
Arlington police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

Police are investigating a pair of so-called “mob” assaults by groups of teens.

Both occurred Friday evening along separate sections of Langston Blvd. It’s unclear whether there’s any connection between the two.

The first happened inside a business along the 4800 block of Langston Blvd and involved 10 juvenile suspects, according to police.

The name of the business was not listed, but the block includes a McDonald’s, tattoo and piercing shops, and an Indian grocery store.

From an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

ASSAULT BY MOB (Late), 2022-09300231, 4800 block of Langston Boulevard. At approximately 11:23 p.m. on September 30, police were dispatched to the late report of an assault. Upon arrival, it was determined that earlier in the evening, the juvenile victim was inside a business when he was approached by Suspect One who unsuccessfully attempted to remove his hat. When the victim refused to give his hat, Suspect One struck him in the head. Approximately nine other juvenile suspects then began to physically assault the victim with Suspects Two and Three being the primary aggressors. The victim was able to safely leave the area on foot. He sustained minor injuries and declined the treatment of medics. Suspect One is described as an Asian male with short black hair, approximately 5’8″-6’0″ tall, 16-18 years old, wearing a black hoodie and gray pants. Suspect Two is described as a White male with brown hair and a beard, approximately 5’8″-6’0″ tall, 16-18 years old, wearing a gray sweater, light-wash black jeans and gray sneakers. Suspect Three is described as an Asian male, approximately 5’8″ – 6’0″ tall, approximately 16-18 years old with short brown hair wearing a navy blue hoodie and black shorts. The investigation is ongoing.

The second incident happened on the same block as the Lee-Harrison Shopping Center. It reportedly involved a juvenile suspect who was known to the victim saying that the victim wasn’t allowed to walk along the sidewalk near then, then striking the victim.

From ACPD:

ASSAULT BY MOB (Late), 2022-10010041, 2400 block of N. Harrison Street. At approximately 4:11 a.m. on October 1, police were dispatched to the police station for the late report of an assault. The investigation determined that at approximately 10:00 p.m. on September 30, the juvenile victim was walking in the area when he approached the known juvenile suspect who was standing on the sidewalk with two friends. The suspect allegedly told the victim he couldn’t be there before striking him. The two friends then also assaulted the victim before fleeing the scene on foot. The victim sustained non-life threatening injuries and later self-reported to an area hospital for medical treatment. The investigation is ongoing.

Nurse found not guilty of falsifying records after man’s death in county jail

By Jo DeVoe
The family of Darryl Becton with Arlington NAACP President Julius “JD” Spain, Sr. (staff photo)

A man who was charged in connection to the death of Darryl Becton in Arlington County jail in 2020 has been found not guilty.

Antoine Smith was charged in September 2021 with the misdemeanor of falsifying a patient record.

Smith worked for Corizon Correctional Health, the jail-based medical provider at the time of Becton’s death, which has been sued multiple times across the nation for inmate deaths allegedly connected to inadequate care.

When reached by phone, Smith’s attorney declined to comment on the outcome of the case.

The charge was levied against Smith as part of a year-long investigation into the circumstances surrounding Becton’s death at the Arlington County Detention Facility.

In the wake of his death, the Arlington branch of the NAACP called for an independent investigation. The jail, meanwhile, cut ties with Corizon and updated its protocols.

One month later, Becton’s family filed a $10-million wrongful death lawsuit against Arlington County Sheriff Beth Arthur, the elected official who oversees the jail and the Sheriff’s Office, as well as Corizon and four medical staffers, including Smith.

The suit alleges that medical staff did not treat and properly monitor Becton’s drug withdrawal symptoms or high blood pressure, despite being aware of his condition and the risks associated with it.

The lawyer for the case did not return a request for comment on how the not-guilty verdict for Smith impacts the lawsuit.

Becton was the fifth person — and the fourth Black man — to die in the facility while in custody in five years, according to the Arlington branch of the NAACP. Since then, the number of people who have died in the detention facility has risen to seven, prompting the Arlington County Board to pledge greater oversight over how the jail is managed.

For the NAACP, the charges against Smith were never its focus.

“Even had Mr. Smith been found guilty of that charge, it would not have answered the central question: why did Mr. Becton die?” Arlington NAACP President Julius “JD” Spain told ARLnow. “The NAACP remains committed to helping our entire community understand how this avoidable tragedy happened, so we can work together to ensure it never happens again.

“We will continue to advocate for a better public safety system that reduces the reliance on prisons as means of solving social problems, and advances effective law enforcement,” Spain continued.

The verdict does raise a host of questions about who supervises jail-based healthcare providers and their employees, and where was that supervisor when Becton died, Spain said.

“So, finally, why did it take this unnecessary and tragic death, seven in seven years, to ultimately cause the Sheriff’s office to find a new contractor?” Spain said. “To date, no one has been held accountable. Is it a toxic work environment, fear of retaliation, or improper management of personnel? Every day that passes without an answer, trust and confidence in leaders and the justice system erode.”

The jail has taken some corrective steps to improve its treatment of inmates, including hiring a quality assurance manager, planning to buy a new medical tracking device and updating health check protocols.

These actions led Virginia’s Jail Review Committee, part of the Board of Local and Regional Jails, to conclude that “no further measures are necessary” and close its investigation into the Arlington jail last month. Its investigation found evidence suggesting the jail had broken state regulations in Becton’s death, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Walking around The View of D.C. observation deck in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

No GOP Endorsement — “They thought about it. They talked about it. But in the end, for a variety of reasons, members of the Arlington County Republican Committee opted against endorsing either of the independents on the Nov. 8 County Board ballot. ‘The committee does not want to take a position,’ GOP communications chair Matthew Hurtt said after discussions held during the committee’s Sept. 27 meeting.” [Sun Gazette]

Crash on GW Parkway — From Alan Henney: “Just before 5:30 p.m. on n/b George Washington Memorial Pky on curve prior to Key Bridge. Single-vehicle crash with one patient with minor cut to the head. US Park Police have responded to several similar crashes today on area parkways.” [Twitter]

More Guns at Airport — “Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) prevented two Alexandria, Va., residents from carrying their handguns onto their flights yesterday, Thursday, Sept. 29. These gun catches came on the heels of another gun that was caught a day earlier, which resulted in three guns caught in a two-day span.” [Press Release]

Incubator Open in Crystal City — “The company took a step toward accomplishing its goal by moving from Herndon into Arlington-based Zebox America, a technology startup incubator and accelerator that launched in late April. ElectroTempo is one of three startups that have moved into the Zebox accelerator. With room for as many as 20 companies, the incubator also is intended as a space to bring participants together, says Zebox Vice President Charley Dehoney.” [Virginia Business]

Metro Projects Delayed — “Metro is extending the closure of six stations south of Reagan National Airport due to unexpected site conditions and remediation efforts for the future Potomac Yard Station… Track construction and integration has now resumed on the site; however, due to the delays the shutdown will be extended for two additional weeks. Regretfully, Metro announces that the new Potomac Yard Station will not open this calendar year.” [WMATA, ALXnow]

It’s Monday — Light rain possible throughout the day. High of 56 and low of 47. Sunrise at 7:08 am, sunset at 6:50 pm. [Weather.gov]

Most-read Arlington stories of the week: Sept. 26-30

By ARLnow.com
An Osprey flyover on a gray background Friday morning (staff photo)

A soggy weekend is on tap after an otherwise pretty nice final week of September.

Obviously this week’s big story was the devastation in Florida, the huge scale of which keeps getting more apparent. And that’s not to mention the havoc that Hurricane Ian is currently wreaking in South Carolina as of publication time.

With those affected by the hurricane in our thoughts, below are the local stories that attracted the most attention in Arlington this week.

  1. Arlington native Alexandra Turshen is the boss in the new Netflix series Partner Track
  2. Arlington students walk out to protest proposed state guidelines on transgender students
  3. Police staffing shortage leads Arlington high schools to limit attendance at games
  4. Police investigating death in Lacey Woods Park
  5. Arlington ranks No. 2 nationally for share of remote workers
  6. Car goes vertical after driving mishap
  7. Statutes of Liberty: DACA in the crossfire before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
  8. Disagreements surface over county vision of greener, denser Langston Blvd
  9. Conceptual plan emerges for potential redevelopment of Ballston apartment building
  10. Sustainable seafood spot Seamore’s is opening in Clarendon
  11. ACPD: Bespectacled man armed with knife robs Clarendon bookstore
  12. Some parents call for end to Covid protocols, less screen time in Arlington schools

Feel free to discuss these stories or anything else of local interest in the comments. Try to stay dry this weekend, Arlington!

Proposed bicycle-pedestrian bridge over Potomac receives $20 million in federal funding

By Jo DeVoe
1/6

A proposed bridge for bicyclists and pedestrians between Crystal City and the Southwest Waterfront area of D.C. has received $20 million in federal funding to move forward.

When complete, the 16-foot-wide shared-use path will connect Long Bridge Park and East and West Potomac parks via the Mount Vernon Trail.

On the Virginia side, the bridge will be located behind the Long Bridge Park Aquatics & Fitness Center (333 Long Bridge Drive), which opened last year. It will eventually provide a connection to the expanded and relocated Virginia Railway Express (VRE) station set to open in 2024.

Several local elected officials, including D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Arlington County Board Vice-Chair Christian Dorsey and Alexandria Vice-Mayor Amy Jackson, gathered this morning (Friday) at the aquatics center to hold an oversized $20 million check and celebrate the project, which could be completed by 2030.

“This is going to be a major gateway for Arlington that allows residents and visitors who walk, bike or roll to come to this beautiful facility and the environs around Long Bridge Park, but then be able to move on to Crystal City and National Landing and points beyond via the Mount Vernon Trail and the robust bicycle infrastructure that we are developing that will go all the way through to the City of Alexandria,” Dorsey said. “This helps meet Arlington and our region’s goals of moving more people with less automobile traffic. ”

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) secured the funding from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program, which was included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Warner co-wrote.

“I am thrilled to announce this new funding for the Long Bridge Pedestrian Crossing project. This $20 million investment was made possible by the bipartisan infrastructure law I was proud to help write and will help the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VRPA) complete a new span across the Potomac dedicated to cyclists and pedestrians,” Warner said in a statement. “This project is a key component of the broader effort to fix a major rail chokepoint and expand commuter and passenger service over the Potomac River.”

The shared-use bridge serves as environmental mitigation for the Long Bridge Project to add a two-track rail bridge next to the existing two-track 117-year-old Long Bridge, owned by the freight railroad company CSX Transportation. Once completed, the expanded railway is projected to bring an annual $6 billion in benefits to the region by 2040, according to a press release.

“We would never even be in the running [for funding for this project] if it weren’t for the infrastructure bill,” Warner told reporters after the event. “That’s got $58 billion additional dollars for passenger rail. We intend to make sure the District and Virginia get its share and it’s our hope the passenger rail bridge would open before the end of the decade.”

The goal of the $2 billion Long Bridge Project, discussions for which began in 2010, is to alleviate rail congestion on the existing Long Bridge. Annually, up to 1.3 million Amtrak passengers and 4.5 million VRE commuters traverse the bridge, in addition to CSX freight trains, according to a project website.

Officials say that the aging bridge is heavily utilized and frequently experiences bottlenecks, and — as if to prove their point — a freight train and an Amtrak train sped by within five minutes of each other during the media event.

Meanwhile, pedestrians and cyclists looking to cross the Potomac at this point have to navigate crossings shared with vehicles and maneuver a 10-foot-wide shared-use path on the 14th Street Bridge.

The lead agency on the project will be the VPRA, which the Virginia General Assembly created in 2020 to “promote, sustain and expand the availability of passenger and commuter rail service in the Commonwealth,” said VPRA Executive Director DJ Stadtler.

While elected officials heralded the new pathway over the Potomac, pedestrians and bicyclists in attendance told ARLnow that the 16-foot bridge is still too narrow to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians alike.

Stadtler told ARLnow that VPRA’s initial 10% complete designs proposed a 14-foot bridge, but in response to feedback, is widening it to 16 feet for the 30% complete designs. The agency has “considered all options” and has determined the current proposal is an appropriate width, he added.

There will be opportunities for the public to weigh in next spring.

During the event, Dorsey joked about the bridge width.

“What did you say, a 20-foot bridge?” he said, to cheers from cyclists in attendance.

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Americana Hotel redevelopment in Crystal City fraught with unknowns, tricky terrain

By Jo DeVoe
1/3

In the shadow of Amazon’s HQ2, the Americana Hotel stands vacant and ready for redevelopment.

The hotel at 1400 Richmond Highway, which JBG Smith purchased in late 2020, is in a prime location. Met Park, the first phase of Amazon’s headquarters, is across the street. PenPlace, the project’s second phase, is down the road. The Crystal City Metro station is a block south.

But the prospect of building apartments and retail right next to a global tech company’s second headquarters came with two issues: physical problems with the land and questions about when, and how, neighboring properties and Route 1 would change.

The Americana property slopes down significantly. It abuts an elevated portion of Route 1 that the Virginia Department of Transportation proposes lowering. The building is surrounded by apartment buildings, a hotel and a VDOT-owned patch of grass, all of which could be redeveloped or reconfigured in the future.

JBG Smith representatives say the proposal, filed in April and accepted by the county this month, accounts for these conditions and questions. They say it meets a county zoning requirement that towers be separated by 60 feet and a recommendation in the Crystal City Sector Plan that podiums be separated by 40 feet.

“We have designed the building around trying to maintain the maximum flexibility for that future development, but there is nothing in the current plan that is in any way not compliant or fully in accordance with the sector plan and zoning ordinance,” land use attorney Kedrick Whitmore told members of the Long Range Planning Committee this summer.

The aging Americana Hotel — which was once featured in a Russell Crowe movie — would be replaced with a 644-unit, 19-story tall building with 3,674 square feet of ground floor retail, according to the application materials. A below-grade parking garage would provide 191 on-site parking spaces and an existing garage at the Bartlett Apartments (520 12th Street S.) would provide an additional 206 off-site spaces.

The developer aims to achieve LEED Gold certification.

“The building includes work-from-home, fitness, and other amenity spaces, as well as outdoor access to balconies and two rooftop terraces with unobstructed views of the surrounding landmarks,” Whitmore wrote in a letter included in JBG Smith’s application.

And the developer aims to break ground before VDOT gets started on rebuilding Route 1 at-grade. VDOT plans to wrap up a second study phase of the proposed changes early next year.

“We do acknowledge that’s an issue we have to discuss with county staff and VDOT,” Jack Kelly, a Vice President with JBG Smith, told the LRPC. “We made high-level assumptions on setbacks, based on what we know about the future alignment of Route 1.”

The developer also had to do “a lot of guesswork” to design around potential redevelopment projects for the adjacent Embassy Suites by Hilton Crystal City National Airport, The Paramount apartments and the VDOT parcel, said Malcolm Williams, an associate with JBG Smith, in the same meeting.

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